There has recently been rapid development in the area of photographic printing paper, and polyolefin resin coated paper has been used as a base for the photographic printing paper instead of barita paper having a barium sulfate layer on a paper base. Polyolefin resin coated paper generally contains a titanium oxide pigment in a polyolefin resin of the photographic emulsion side for the purpose of giving high whiteness and hiding power.
Examples of titanium oxide pigments used for this purpose including titanium oxide pigments wherein the surface of particles is not coated as well as titanium oxide pigments wherein the surface of particles is coated with an inorganic substance such as silica or aluminum, etc. are well known. When a polyolefin resin coated paper containing such a titanium oxide pigment is used as a base for photographic printing paper, the resulting product is not satisfactory in that it has a low resolving power of print images. Further, it has been generally well known to add a surface active agent in the form of a metal soap such as calcium stearate or zinc palmitate in order to improve dispersibility of the titanium oxide pigment when the titanium oxide is added to the polyolefin resin. However, when using the polyolefin resin coated paper obtained by this method as a base for photographic printing paper, the level of the resolving power of print images is unsatisfactory, even though it is somewhat improved as compared with that wherein the surface active agent was not added.